Delta Air Lines is updating the interiors of its aircraft with new finishes, fabrics and color schemes. The first plane with the new look will be the Boeing 757, with other aircraft being updated in stages over the next seven years. The airline emphasizes: This change aims to increase sustainability by reducing material waste.
ATLANTA – As Delta Air Lines nears its 100th anniversary (incorporated in 1925 as Huff Daland Dusters, a crop dusting service, and operated its first passenger flight four years later), Delta Air Lines is undergoing a major overhaul of its cabin interiors. I’m planning.
While the physical seats and cabin layout remain the same for now, the interior color scheme and finishes have been updated.
USA TODAY got an exclusive preview of the new look at Delta’s headquarters in Atlanta in September. The entire fleet overhaul will take several years to complete, but the first plane with the new aesthetic, a 27-year-old Boeing 757, is expected to begin commercial service in the coming weeks.
Here’s what customers can expect as the airline transitions to a new look.
What’s changing?
Delta’s new aesthetic focuses on finishes, so during an overhaul, seats will be reupholstered and covers on the aircraft’s bulkheads and restroom interiors will be replaced, as well as carpeting and other flooring. Masu.
“We’re not going to change the number of seats on the plane, we’re not going to change the configuration, we’re not going to change the number of[toilet]s. It’s all what we call trim and finish.” Alex Douglas, Delta’s general manager of technical operations, told USA TODAY.
But for passengers, the changes will still be noticeable, especially in the seats where the biggest updates will be made.
In Delta One’s business class, seats will be covered in new navy blue and gray fabric with red accents. Delta executives say the airline’s lie-flat seats have been replaced with breathable fabric instead of leather, which will provide a more comfortable sleeping experience.
Throughout the rest of the cabin, from first class to economy on domestic flights, seats have been similarly redone, with darker, smoother leather and smoother textures throughout.
The main cabin seats also receive a pocket upgrade, with additional storage compartments added to all seatbacks.
Mauricio Parise, Delta’s vice president of brand experience, said the airline has put a lot of thought into how to make the cabin interior more relaxing with these new finishes.
“One of the origins of this work and one of the briefs we provided is that once you get on the plane, we need to slow you down. I want a place to feel calm,” he said. “How can I create works using calm colors?”
Beyond the seats, other features include darker colors and more subdued patterns in the forward bulkhead, as well as warmer interior lighting.
Delta executives said they also conducted a “selfie test” of the new look to ensure in-flight social media posts looked crisp and natural.
The airline’s various aircraft sub-fleets are also given varying degrees of work.
“Not everything is going to be a new product. It’s really going to be about where in the lifecycle it is and what level of investment we’re going to make at Delta,” Douglas said, for example. explained that they are simply replacing the seat cushions and covers, but not completely replacing the seats.
“It’s more like a refresh of those products,” she said.
One of the sub-fleets introducing the new seats is the 757-S, which currently features Delta One lie-flat seats, but will receive reclining-style domestic first-class seats during the overhaul.
Cruising Altitude: What will the in-flight meals be like?I went to Atlanta to find out.
How long does it take to overhaul a fleet?
Mr Douglas said the overhaul could take up to seven years, but could be completed sooner. He said the priority is to coordinate interior work with scheduled aircraft maintenance to minimize costs and reduce the time individual aircraft have to be grounded for refurbishments.
“We don’t want to ground aircraft or disrupt schedules, so for us it’s about where is the smartest place to do that work.”
Which plane will get the new look first?
The first aircraft with the new look will be a 27-year-old Boeing 757 that will be re-entered with a new finish in the coming weeks.
“Delta Air Lines is committed to regularly updating its fleet,” Parise said. “Symbolically, this is a great story because it shows the commitment to make a 27-year-old plane look like this and make it look like it came (new) from Seattle.”
The average age of Delta’s aircraft is about 15 years, but it has a mix of older and newer planes.
Later this year, the factory-fresh Airbus A350 will roll off the assembly line with a new look, and Delta will begin refurbishing its older aircraft in the meantime. Going forward, all new aircraft entering Delta’s fleet will have new interiors installed in preparation for delivery.
How Delta Air Lines is managing customer expectations during the transition period
The transition will take several years, so customers may not know what will happen when they board a plane, Delta said.
“Customers typically understand that this is an airline with a fleet of 1,000 or more aircraft,” Parise says. “You will be pleasantly surprised and happy when you fly in a new plane, but riding in an old plane is also a good experience.”
Douglas noted that from an operational standpoint, the finish has no impact on flight. Customers may come to prefer the updated seats, but since the planes before and after the overhaul will have the same layout, last-minute replacements may result in lower grades or lower prices, as long as they are operated by the same type of airline. It never changes. of the plane.
“While it’s fluid, it creates a lot of complexity. As you turn your fleet on and off, you end up with a mix of unfinished and completed aircraft in your fleet.” she said.
How does this change fit into Delta’s sustainability goals?
Airlines often emphasize how changes they make can make them more sustainable, and Delta’s latest update is no exception.
“Can we reduce the amount of finishes, colors and textures on the airplane because it reduces overall material consumption?” Douglas said. “We’ve harmonized based on the material catalog, so we won’t have a ton of unique surfaces and materials anymore.”
She emphasized that by reducing the number of finishing materials the airline uses and choosing patterns that are easier to work with, Delta can reduce material waste going forward.
(This story has been updated to correct a spelling/typo error.)
Zach Wichter is a travel writer for USA TODAY based in New York. Please contact us at zwichter@usatoday.com.
